THE WAR ROOM
December is here and so is the Hugh Freeze era.
Freeze is looking to bring the heat in recruiting, as several prospects are making their way to Auburn this weekend for official visits. The list varies from top targets that are committed elsewhere, to Auburn commits, to JUCO players and some guys in the portal.
With all this action, it's time for another AuburnSports.com WAR ROOM, presented by Lynch Toyota of Auburn.
FIRST THINGS FIRST
This is Freeze's first big recruiting weekend. We've already seen him hit the road as soon as the contact period opened a week ago. Freeze is now playing the role of host, as he welcomes in some targets that Auburn has pursued for months now.
MERRY FLIPMAS
Auburn is working diligently to flip some in-state and out-of-state prospects. In fact, recruits that are committed elsewhere make up most of the official visitors this weekend.
One of them is Colton Hood, who is making his second official visit to Auburn this after making his first one in late October, a day before Bryan Harsin was fired. Getting Hood back on campus is a good sign for Auburn, as the Tigers try to flip the legacy cornerback from Michigan State.
He holds a strong bond with Zac Etheridge, who visited in-home with Hood alongside Freeze earlier this week.
It's been about a little over a week since Tony Mitchell was last in Auburn, but not on any recruiting business. Mitchell was in Jordan-Hare Stadium on Nov. 30, helping Thompson win a fourth consecutive state title.
Mitchell, who's currently committed to Alabama, plans to sign early and Auburn is trying to make it a race that comes down to the wire. Mitchell took an official visit to Auburn on Oct. 1 and this weekend is a chance for Freeze to make his impression on Mitchell.
Marcel Reed has been committed to Ole Miss since April of this year and visited Auburn last season for the Iron Bowl. A lot has changed about Auburn since he last visited, and he'll get a first hand look at it this weekend.
A new coaching staff, a new facility and an extended stay might get the Nashville native thinking. Reed has not been offered by Auburn yet, but Freeze might be waiting until the weekend to extend it in person.
Auburn was in Connor Lew's top four before he committed to Miami, but now with the coaching change, Lew is set to make his first trip back to Auburn since his official visit in the summer.
It's interesting to see Lew return to campus, he appeared to be all Miami after his commitment and didn't make visits to anywhere else. An official visit helps the Tigers' chances, especially now that they have the new facility to show off.
Auburn needs offensive lineman. Tyler Johnson is a massive one.
The 6-foot-7 lineman is set to make his official visit this weekend, his first to Auburn. Currently committed to Texas Tech, Johnson's offer list consisted of mostly midwest schools like Kansas State, Missouri and Baylor.
Another offer he possessed? Liberty.
Now, it appears Freeze is recruiting him to Auburn, which is a little closer to his home of Natchitoches, La.
COMMITS ARE COMING
A pair of commits will make an appearance this weekend on official visits. Brenton Williams, Auburn's latest commit, will make his first official visit, while Clay Wedin makes his second.
JUCO JATTA
Auburn will host one JUCO player this weekend on an official visit, offensive tackle Isaiah Jatta. Currently committed to South Carolina, Jatta is at Snow College in Ephraim, Utah, where current Auburn player Keionte Scott came from.
This weekend will be Jatta's first visit to Auburn, as his team's schedule made it difficult for him to visit during the season.
TWO OF THEM TRANSFERS, PLEASE
Freeze said during his introductory press conference that they'd have to utilize the transfer portal perhaps more in year one than in any other year. He needs to fill the gaps with transfers and two official visitors could make an immediate impact.
Wide receiver Dont'e Thornton is set to visit officially this weekend, after departing from Oregon. He was rated in the Rivals100 for the 2021 class, ranked as the the No. 62 player in the nation.
This past season at Oregon, Thornton had 17 receptions for 366 yards receiving, while scoring a touchdown.
Auburn is also welcoming offensive lineman Jordan Brown. Brown, who's originally from Long Beach, Cali., appeared in seven games this season for Charlotte before entering the transfer portal.